School Rules & Scoring

USA Cheer has developed a comprehensive Membership Program, which includes a background check, athlete protection training, acknowledgement of concussion training with return to participation guidance, a member code of conduct, and safety training courses on risk management and safety rules.

This season’s membership will be active from June 1, 2022 through May 31, 2023 and will satisfy the previously communicated requirement that all school coaches, choreographers, rec coaches, and personnel attending a Varsity Spirit cheer or dance competition must have this membership to gain access to the warmup, backstage or coaches’ box areas.

NEW THIS YEAR
The Cheer Coach and Dance Coach memberships come with additional liability coverage for current members who are 18 years of age or older while coaching their designated team. Beginning in 2022-23, this membership includes secondary liability coverage for members who are 18 years of age or older who have completed all requirements for membership. Coverage applies while the approved Dance Coach member is supervising dance practices, games, or competition with their designated team. No coverage applies for 1) training individual participants or conducting their own camps/clinics 2) acting as a choreographer for a team that they do not coach full time or 3) while coaching any other sports besides cheer, STUNT and dance.

PROOF OF MEMBERSHIP
When checking in at Varsity Spirit competitions, you will now simply provide proof of membership for each person from your organization who wishes to go into the warmup area, backstage or coaches’ box. Upon proof of membership, each coach will receive a wristband that will allow them access.

COMPLETE CHEER MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENT (1 Cheer Coach Per Team)

COMPLETE PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENT (Additional Coaches, Choreographers, etc)

View 2022-2023 Divisions

Crowd Performance Divisions

• Routine Length: 2:30 minutes
• Levels: Novice, Intermediate, Advanced
• Grade Levels: Junior High/Middle School, Junior Varsity/Freshman, Varsity, Coed Varsity, Non-Building, Non-Tumbling, Junior Club
• These divisions offer the best of both worlds! Crowd Performance divisions emphasizes crowd leading ability with crowd effective material. Routines in these divisions will still include transitional stunts and pyramids but the cheer section will encourage a crowd response as if you were leading the fans at an actual game! Teams can use all sideline appropriate props such as signs, poms and megaphones in their routines.

Performance Divisions

• Routine Length: 2:30 minutes
• Levels: Novice, Intermediate, Advanced
• Grade Levels: Junior High/Middle School, Varsity, Coed Varsity
• Does your team excel in skills and performance environments? NCA Performance divisions showcase the athleticism of cheerleading with a focus on visual elements. Teams competing in these divisions have routines that consist of transitional stunts, pyramids and a cheer. The cheer does not have to encourage crowd participation.

Game Day Divisions

• Routine Length: 3:00 minutes
• Grade Levels: Junior High/Middle School, Junior Varsity, Varsity
• Bring your sidelines to the spotlight in an NCA Game Day Division! Teams combine their Band Chant, Game Day Cheer, and Fight Song along with a Game Day situational response to showcase in one 3:00 minute performance. Game Day divisions are the perfect way to transition material you already have and practice on the sidelines for the national floor. Cheer teams also have the option to bring their dancers, mascots and band members to compete in the Spirit Program division. This division celebrates how spirit programs work together to enhance their school game day!

2022-2023 School Rule Book:
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2022-2023 School Rules & Restrictions:
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2022-2023 School Deductions & Violations:
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2022-2023 High School Scoring Guidelines:

• Competition Updates
• Judging Ranges

2022-2023 High School Score Sheet Samples:

• Game Day
• Performance
• Non-Building
• Non-Tumbling
• Crowd Performance
• High School Mascot

2023 College Cheer Divisions:
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2023 College Game Day Division:
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2023 NCA & NDA Collegiate Rule Book:
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USA Cheer College Safety Rules:
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2023 College Score Sheet Samples:

• College Cheer Scoring Guidelines
• College Cheer Sample Score Sheets
• College Game Day Sample Score Sheet
• College Partner/Group Stunt Sample Score Sheet
• College Mascot Sample Score Sheet
• College Spirit Rally Sample Score Sheet

Judges selected for one of our regional events should meet these standards

• Have no direct affiliation with any team/gym who will be attending (or potentially will be attending) in a division they will judge. This includes coaching, choreographing, cleaning, etc.
• Must be available for pre-event training via webinar at a time/date to be determined
• Must pass and be trained and educated in one or more of the category scoresheets that are used for judging.
• Must be of the highest ethical and moral values. Must possess and maintain the highest standards of integrity, ethics and professionalism.
• Must complete Varsity Spirit Compliance Course to include
  • Background Check
  • Code of Conduct
  • Understanding, Recognizing and Reporting the Maltreatment of Children
  • Affidavit of Good Moral Character
• Must be well-respected in the cheerleading, dance, band and/or song/pom industry.
• Judges will be informed that any behavior deemed to be unsupportive of Varsity Spirit’s mission may be factored into the final selection of judges.

In addition to the regional event standards these additional criteria will be used when selecting our National Championship Judges.

• Preferred to have judged or will judge 2 or more “Regional” type events during the 2022-2023 season.
• Preferred to have been a judge or equitable experience for at least 3 years.

Providing accurate, fair, and unbiased feedback for our customers is one of our top priorities.  With that said, our selected panel of judges must have no affiliation with teams in a division they are scheduled to judge.

Example of potential Conflicts of Interest:

• Current Coach and/or Choreographer
• Former Coach and/or Choreographer and/or Athlete
  • Must be 5 years out from any program
  • Must not have had any contact with a team this season
  • Did not go to any practices or performances in the last 5 years
• Married / Partner / Dating / Related to coach
• Parent of an athlete on a team

Due to the size of our National Championships, judge’s with conflicts may be selected. Every effort will be made to ensure that a judge with a potential Conflict of Interest is not scheduled to judge that team or school’s divisions.

2022-2023 Scoring Review Process & Legality Review Process:
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2022-2023 Judge Directory:
Coming Soon